In a move that is disheartening, the Detroit Police Department has officially given up maintaining the faÁade that police are able to adequately protect citizens. As fans came to Comerica Park to watch the Tigers beat the Aís on Saturday, they were greeted by 400 police officers, handing out fliers that cautioned people from entering Detroit. The headline of the flier read: ďAttention: Enter Detroit at your Own Risk.Ē

Finally, the police are admitting what gun owners have known for years- police cannot protect the people from violence. Such a responsibility rests with each of us.

Donít get me wrong, I never wanted it this way. In a perfect world, people would leave one another alone, and we would all live happily together. However, Iíll settle for the police being able to adequately protect its citizens- but even that is a fairy tale fantasy. Despite the best efforts of brave police officers, the fact is that though there is the rare coincidence where a police officer is in the right place at the right time to stop violent crime, the bulk of police officersí duties as related to violent crime are catching the perpetrator, not pre-empting the violence. My solution has long been for the citizenry to arm themselves.

The flier serves as an alert to the public concerning the working conditions of the Detroit Police Department and explains that though Detroit is dangerous, it is particularly dangerous with the strained police resources.

ďDetroit is Americaís most violent city, its homicide rate is the highest in the country, and yet, the Detroit Police Department is grossly understaffed,Ē Detroit Police Department Association attorney Donato Lorio stated. ďThe DPOA believes that there is a war in Detroit, but there should be a war on crime, not a war on its officers.Ē

Chiefly among the complaints from the department are the 12-hour shifts and the pay decreases they have suffered from a city that is dying in every way.

I will never claim that a police officerís job is easy. And in the crime-riddled wasteland of Detroit in the wake of the auto industry downturn, it can only be a hellish experience. However, such complaints are incredibly common in the public sector when an area experiences a significant downturn. With decreased revenue and industry, Detroit is struggling. I can certainly empathize with the officersí tough situation, but across the country, public sector employees are shouting their outrage at suffering budget cuts. What they neglect to realize, however, is that everyone is going through hard times- especially the private sector. Itís tough to side with the officersí union when half of Detroit is boarded up shop windows and foreclosed homes.

I do, however, appreciate the officersí candor with regards to safety. I am a realist, and I cannot honestly expect that a police officer will always be around when needed. They can catch the criminal after Iím dead, but that would be of little consolation to me. That is precisely why I carry a firearm and I encourage all responsible people to do similarly.

The sooner America reconciles itself with the fact that police protection is a well-intentioned illusion, the quicker we can address our independent protection needs in a meaningful fashion. That is exactly why concealed weapon laws are so important.

I urge all citizens who value personal liberty and self-protection to support Senate Bill 2188, the ďNational Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2012.Ē This act proposes a reciprocity and recognition of all states licenses that offer concealed weapons licenses to its citizens. Much like how a driverís license from Tennessee allows someone to drive in Colorado, a person would be able to carry in their home state as well as travel through another. We need uniformity in the law, and we need to urge our senators to stand with us and allow us to protect ourselves.

To contact your senator and urge them to support this bill, please click here.

Since Community Policing became popular in the 80's police have been trying to get the point across to the citizens that it is a partnership. Police can't solve all a neighborhoods problems, the neighborhood, with the help of the police and other resources, needs to take some responsibility. The sad part is many citizens think someone else will call the police when something is going on, or that it's none of their business. Then they blame the police for the high crime rate. So while the DPD is likely playing politics trying to get a pay raise and more staffing with the tactic, it is based in reality. Citizen involvement in their neighborhood is critical to making a difference.

Since Community Policing became popular in the 80's police have been trying to get the point across to the citizens that it is a partnership. Police can't solve all a neighborhoods problems, the neighborhood, with the help of the police and other resources, needs to take some responsibility. The sad part is many citizens think someone else will call the police when something is going on, or that it's none of their business. Then they blame the police for the high crime rate. So while the DPD is likely playing politics trying to get a pay raise and more staffing with the tactic, it is based in reality. Citizen involvement in their neighborhood is critical to making a difference.

not really believable since every time an ordinary citizen stops a crime or intervenes he's usually berated by police for getting involved (unless defending himself). Officers will bitch that the sumeritan should have just called police yet admit that they can't be everywhere to stop crime only respond after the fact. many officers are sympathetic but units and management all over the country (esp FOP) routinely offer no support or even campaign against right to carry, concealed carry, stand your ground, citizens arrest, etc.

not really believable since every time an ordinary citizen stops a crime or intervenes he's usually berated by police for getting involved (unless defending himself). Officers will bitch that the sumeritan should have just called police yet admit that they can't be everywhere to stop crime only respond after the fact. many officers are sympathetic but units and management all over the country (esp FOP) routinely offer no support or even campaign against right to carry, concealed carry, stand your ground, citizens arrest, etc.

We actually recognize citizens at Commanders Forums and Command Staff meetings for getting involved. I'm pretty sure we aren't the only department that does this. Picking up the phone and calling 911 and being a good witness is getting involved. Seeing a van backed up to your neighbors house at 11 am when you know he's at work and deciding Days of OUr Lives is just too important to miss and hoping someone else calls is not.

We actually recognize citizens at Commanders Forums and Command Staff meetings for getting involved. I'm pretty sure we aren't the only department that does this. Picking up the phone and calling 911 and being a good witness is getting involved. Seeing a van backed up to your neighbors house at 11 am when you know he's at work and deciding Days of OUr Lives is just too important to miss and hoping someone else calls is not.

good for your department but your point doesn't dispute my claim. being a good witness still only helps after the fact but police don't regularly support citizens actually intervening, even if we have the means and will to do so. if police don't recognize citizen action to stop a crime in progress we aren't going to have much faith in your ability to do anything after someone is shot, raped, stabbed, mugged, etc. this is especially true since most of those crimes are going unsolved and unpunished right now. after learning that it gets really difficult to take positions like your own seriously.

good for your department but your point doesn't dispute my claim. being a good witness still only helps after the fact but police don't regularly support citizens actually intervening, even if we have the means and will to do so. if police don't recognize citizen action to stop a crime in progress we aren't going to have much faith in your ability to do anything after someone is shot, raped, stabbed, mugged, etc. this is especially true since most of those crimes are going unsolved and unpunished right now. after learning that it gets really difficult to take positions like your own seriously.

My intention wasn't to dispute your claim, but to offer the possibility via my personal observations of a police department that your statement may not be quite as concrete as you believe it to be. I understand the mindset of officers when a citizen puts themselves in danger to help someone. While inside we are cheering, we can't encourage it very much on the outside because we know the risks and 9 times out of 10 the person was lucky to not get seriously injured or killed themselves. If we publicly encourage people to thrust themselves into volatile situations and people get hurt or make matters worse, then we would have a liability. Berating someone for getting involved is a rarity in my 30 yrs in the business. That is usually reserved for the guy or gal who clearly made a bad situation worse by intervening when a phone call would have sufficed. But yeah, I know what you are saying